The 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial pitting Creationism vs. Evolution could have been a lot less controversial had William Jennings Bryan used his Bible to let evolution make the case for creation. Instead of Genesis, he should have gone to Sirach—the part about friendship (Sir 6:5-17). Even some modern scientists will tell you it was by cooperative friendship that Homo Sapiens evolved past the less sociable Neanderthals while moving on over time to master all the lands and climates of the world.
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter; he who finds one finds a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price, no sum can balance his worth. A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy, such as he who fears God finds;
What Bryan might have argued next is that the evolution of Homo Sapiens and their friendships couldn’t have happened on the grand scale necessary to get us where we are today without a friendship with God. Sunday’s Mass readings are all about our evolution toward the Divine realm where humanity multiplies in number and in that friendship. That is depicted in Genesis, as our first reading indicates (Gn 15:5-12, 17-18):
The Lord God took Abram outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so,” he added, “shall your descendants be.” Abram put his faith in the LORD, who credited it to him as an act of righteousness.
Our gospel reading from Luke shows that our friendship with God evolved into our friendship with His son, and thanks to his disciples we got a glimpse of our future spiritually-evolved selves via Christ’s transfiguration (Lk 9:28b-36):
While he was praying his face changed in appearance and his clothing became dazzling white. And behold, two men were conversing with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his exodus that he was going to accomplish in Jerusalem. Peter and his companions had been overcome by sleep, but becoming fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him.
In the next Chapter of Luke we see the effects of our spiritual evolution start to take hold as Christ’s disciples return from the field to report on the progress of the mission on which their Master sent them (LK 10:17-20):
The seventy-two returned rejoicing, and said, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us because of your name.” Jesus said, “I have observed Satan fall like lightning* from the sky. Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
And in our second reading (Phil 3:17—4:1), Paul tells the Philippians heaven is where our evolution will lead—and to our own transfiguration:
But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He will change our lowly body to conform with his glorified body by the power that enables him also to bring all things into subjection to himself. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, in this way stand firm in the Lord.
So the Bible does support evolution.
–Tom Andel
I was raised in a Methodist church, and we did not hear readings from the book of Sirach. After today’s reading, here, I wish that we had. What a wonderful message. I have often felt that believers are too interested , at times, in turning faith into a very rigid “following” that is based upon exact adherence to beliefs that cannot reviewed from different perspectives. I feel this is very wrong, and, also, very damaging to the journey of belief. An honest faith comes with exploration, and that means questions will surface. Find ways to help others find answers to real questions, and faith is always strengthened. With this said, along with the reference to the Scopes “Monkey” Trial, arguments were, again, attempted to be presented for a “very limiting perspective” to move a jury towards agreeing with the chosen verdict – which is very different from a lesson in education. Whenever we look at “learning” or “teaching” – there are always the decisions to create learning, first, and then there are multiple steps to produce that chosen outcome. The creating of the world could be reviewed as the ultimate decision of the Creator, who then, initiated steps or processes of Creation to produce this world for man and woman. Evolution is a part of the process that is put in place by the Creator to produce life. It is just one perspective. Thank you for this reading, today; it gives me much to think about as I try to look at other perspectives in faith and life.
Thanks for your insights, Dave. Yes, we’re still evolving–toward an existence beyond this world. Kind of like graduation, I suppose. Or transfiguration.
Heard this spiritual insight somewhere (about the evolution of spirituality and justice)
First it was slay the enemy (take what you want)
Second came an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth (equalness)
Third, love others as you would like to be loved (better but still equalness)
Finally love your enemies (True Godliness. Selflessness ). The last step is quite a distance from the beginning of Biblical history God isn’t looking for us to stagnate. He wants us to be alive, growing in His infinite Self, eternally “evolving” in Him.
Joe, thank God, by His grace, we have a long way to go.